Steering gear for steamships



May 15, 1923; mswsn J. T. SHAW ET AL STEERING GEAR FOR STEM/[SHIPS Patented May l5, 1923.

uni-tra n JOHN T. SHAW, CHARLES ADOLPI-IUS WEYIEOUTH, AND BEN HARRY PEARSON, OF

HUDDERSFIELD, ENG-LAND.

STEERING GEAR FOR STEAMISHIPS.

Application filed June 22,. 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN TURNBULL SHAW, CHAnLns AnoLr Us l/VEYMoUTH, and BEN HARRY PEARSON, subjects of King George V of Great Britain, residing at Huddersfield, in the county of York, England, have invented. a new and useful Improvement in or Relating to Steering Gear for Steamships, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to steering gear for steamships, particularly vessels fitted with steam steering gear and auxiliary hand steering gear, and has for its object to provide improved means whereby, in the event of a rudder chain breaking, the rudder post is automatically disconnected from the steam steering gear and placed under the control of the auxiliary hand gear.

According to the invention, the usual quadrant on the rudder post, which is actuated by port and starboard rudder chains controlled by power actuated mechanism of suitable construction, is provided with a movable member which, in the event of either of the rudder chains breaking and permitting the quadrant to swing uncontrolled through an arc of excessive length in' either direction, is arranged to contact with a fixed member and be moved thereby. This movement of the movable member is arranged to move out through suitable intermediate connections, a clutch which normally maintains a driving con- 7 ncction between the quadrant and the rudder post. The moving out of the clutch in addition to disconnecting the quadrant from the rudder post is also arranged to move into mesh a gear adapted to connect up the rudder post with the auxiliary hand steering gear so that the rudder is now directly under the control of the latter and the power steering gear is entirely out out.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing;

Fig. 1 being an elevation;

Fig. 2 a partial plan view;

Fig. 3 a partial end view, looking in the direction of arrow A, Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 shows a modified alternative ar rangement hereinafter referred to.

Serial No. 478,678.

Referring to the drawing, (1 represents the rudder post and Z) the usual quadrant, having in this instance its. boss 5' mounted loosely on the rudder post and connected I in the usual manner by port and starboard rudder chains, not shown, from; a suitable power actuated mechanism.

F or the purpose of the invention, the rudder post is provided with a key 0 above the quadrant boss Z2 and on this key is mounted, to slide vertically, thereon, a collar cl having on its lower face a clutch surface (2' adapted to engage a corresponding clutch surface a on the quadrant boss.

A groove (Z in the collar cl is fitted with a ring e having projections e which register in openings in bosses f on a clutch fork f. This fork, in the instance shown, is formed on one arm of a two-armed lever f pivoted at g to a lug or projection 71 on the upper side of the quadrant b. The other arm of thelever 7" is connected, as for instance by an adjustable bolt h to one arm of an angle lever i, which is pivoted at j to the lug or projection b on the quadrant. The other arm of the lever 71 extends down through the opening 5* in the quadrant, and has pivotally connected to it the inner endof a radially disposed rod or bar is. This rod or bar is guided for radial movement in an opening, 6 in a lug b on the underside of the quadrant, and its outer end is extends a suitable distance beyond the periphery of the quadrant.

It will be apparent that as the quadrant is swung by the rudder chains, under control of the power steering gear, the radially extending rod or bar will be correspondingly moved.

Mounted in fixed positions, one at each side of the quadrant, are two cam plates Z and m. In the instance shown the commencing portions of the cam surfaces Z and m on the respective plates are located at 35 degrees from the centre line of the quadrant when the latter is in a central position, that is to say, when the rudder is amidships this being the arc through which the power steering gear as ordinarily constructed is designed to swing the quadrant.

Should either of the rudder chains break, and the quadrant thus be swung in one or other direction beyond the limit of its designed travel, the end is of the rod or bar a will come into contact with one or other of the cam surfaces Z or m and said rod will be moved radially inwards. This inward movement, through the angle lever xi, connection it, and lever f will be trans- -'with the hand steering gear.

To this end the collar (Z is connected with a sleeve 72 carrying a bevel gear 0 which is adapted to mesh with a bevel gear 29 fast on a shaft under hand control. Preferably the shaft 9 is mounted to revolve in bearings on standards 1 a" placed a suitable distance apart, said shaft having hand steering wheel 8 fast on each end thereof.

. When the power steering gear is in operation, the bevel 0 is out of gear with the bevel y) as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. *On the collar (Z being raised as above set forth and disconnecting the power steering gear, the bevel 0 is raised into mesh with the bevel 0 as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and the rudder post is thus connected up with the hand steering gear.

In order to lock the quadrant and prevent it from swinging uncontrolled with the movements of the vessel when disconnected as above set forth, it is preferably provided at each end with a latch 6 one or other of which latches, according to the direction of swing of the quadrant, is adapted to engage with and be retained by one of two spring catches Z'" and a mounted in respective blocks t and u located in suitable fixed positions. The blocks themselves form stops to limit the swing of the quadrant in either direction, and the catches serve to hold the quadrant when by reason of the latter swinging through a sufficient are, the collar (Z has been raised and the power gear put out of action.

To enable the hand gear to be locked when out of action and provide a brake when it is in action to prevent shocks on the rudder from being transmitted to the hand wheels we may gear up the shaft through spur gears 12, 1: fast thereon. with gears =10 and a: fast on respective shafts iv, 02 journalled in the standards r, r. A worm wheel loosely mounted on the shaft 9 and operated by a worm 1 under hand control may,

' by means of a screwed boss y be arranged 2 is arranged to exert pressure by means of plates .2 a ainst two series of discs or plates e0 respectively mounted to slide onkeys on the shafts w, w, and press said discs against plates 10 One end of the hub of the worm wheel 1 bears against the nonslid-able hub of the toothed wheel 1). The worm wheel y and the plate 2 are both loose on the shaft 9 but the plate a is mounted with a resistance which is greater than that of the screw, or the disk .2 may be held from revolving by hand. Then the worm wheel is revolved in an appropriate direction, and the plate a isnot revolved, the screw forces the disk 2 to the right hand, and the disks .2, a bear against the splined disks e0 (21 and lock the hand steering gear so that the shaft 9 cannot be revolved. Between the plates (0 w and respective collars such as fast on the shafts on which the plates are mounted, are compression springs such as in. By suitably rotating the Worm wheel 1 the shaft Q can be'locked or can be braked to any desired extent aswill be understood.

Any other suitable means for locking anl braking the shaft Q can be substituted for those shown.

Ball bearings are preferably employed where convenient as for instanceat'g", on shaft Q to ensure easy working when the steering is being effectedby hand.

Instead of arranging that the gear 0 is lifted up into mesh with the gear 79 by the raising of the clutch collar (Z as above set forth, the modified construction illustrated at Fig. e may be adopted. In this instance the gear 0 is constantly in mesh with the gear 3 and is mounted loosely on the rudder post (i being supported by a collar (4 on the post. The boss 0 of the gear 0 has a sawtooth or other suitable clutch surface 0 which is adapted to be engaged by a clutch surface (5.22 on the upper side of the sliding collar (Z. A. similar clutch surface (Zg on the underside of the collar (Z engages acorre' spending surface on the quadrant boss in the same manner as in the previously described arrangement. The action is exactly he same as previously described but instead i having to raise the gear 0 and sleeve or L0 transfer the control to the hand steering gear, the lever fa: has in this case simply to raise the collar (Z.

By means of the invention, if either of the rudder chains breaks, the steering control is automatically transferred to the hand steering gear, and the quadrant of the power gear is locked in a position which enables the broken chain to beeasily repaired.

It will be obvious that the details of construction and arrangement of the parts employed to carry out the invention mayvar from the particular embodiment illustrated and we do not therefore confine ourselves to such embodiment.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In steering gear for steamships, a quad rant adapted to be controlled by power gear, a rudder post, means for operatively connecting the quadrant to said rudder post, and means whereby on the quadrant swinging through an arc or predetermined length in either direction is disconnected from the rudder post.

2. ln steering gear for steamships, a quad rant adapted to be controlled by power gear, a rudder post, means for operatively connecting the quadrant to said rudder post, means whereby onthe quadrant swinging through an arc of predetermined length it is disconnected from the rudder post, and means for locking the quadrant when so disconnected.

3. In steering gear for steamships, the combination with a quadrant adapted to be controlled by power gear, a rudder post, means for operatively connecting the quadrant to said rudder post, and hand steering gear, of means whereby on the quadrant swinging through an arc of predetermined length in either direction it is disconnected from the rudder post and the hand steering gear is operatively connected to the rudder post. i

4. The combination with steering gear ac cording to claim 3 oi means to lock the quadrant when disconnected from the rudder post.

5. Steering gearfor steamships comprising in combination a quadrant adapted to be controlled by power gear, a rudder post, a clutch slidable on a key on saidrudder post and normally acting to operatively connect the quadrant to the rudder post and means whereby on the quadrant swinging through an arc of predetermined length in either direction said clutch is moved to disconnect the quadrant from the rudder post.

6. Steering gear for steamships comprising in combination a quadrant adapted to be controlled by power gear a rudder post, a clutch slidable on a key on said rudder post and normally acting to operatively connect the quadrant thereto, means whereby on the quadrant swinging through an arc of predetermined length in either direction the clutch is moved to disconnect the quadrant from the rudder post and means to lock the quadrant when so disconnected.

'7. Steering gear for steamships comprising in combination a quadrant adapted to be controlled by power gear, a rudder post, clutch slidable on a key on said rudder post and normally acting to operatively connect ment of the clutch to disconnect the quadrant thereto, a hand steering gear, and means whereby on the quadrant swinging through an are of predetermined length in either direction the clutch is moved to disconnect the quadrant from the rudder post and operatively connect the hand steering gear thereto.

8. Steering gear for steainships comprising in combination a quadrant adapted to be controlled by power gear, a rudder post, a clutch slidable on a key on said rudder post and normally acting to operatively connect the quadrant thereto, a hand steering gear, means whereby on the quadrant swinging through an arc of predetermined length in either direction the clutch is moved to dis connect the quadrant from and operatively connect the hand steering gear thereto and means to lock the quadrant when so disconnected. I

9. Steering gear for steamships comprising in combination a quadrant adapted to be controlled bypower gear, a rudder post, a clutch slidable on said rudder post and normally acting to operatively connect the quadrant thereto, a member carried by the quadrant to swing therewith, means to move said member relatively to the quadrant when the latter swings through an arc of predetermined length in either direction and means whereby such movement is transmit ted to the clutch to disconnect the quadrant from the rudder post.

10. The combination with steering gear according to claim 9 of means to lock the quadrant when disconnected from the rud der post.

11. Steering gear for steainships compriring in combination a quadrant adapted to be controlled by power gear, a rudder post, a clutch slidable on a key on said rudder post and normally acting to operatively connect the quadrant thereto, a member carried by the quadrant to swing therewith, means to move the said member relatively to the quadrant when the latter swings through an arc of predetermined length in either direction, means whereby said movement is transmitted to the clutch to disconnect the quadrant from the rudder ,post, a hand steering gear, and means whereby move the quadrant from the rudder post causes the hand steering gear tobe operatively connected.

12. The combination with steering gear according t claim 11 of means to lock the quadrant when it disconnected from the rudder post.

13. Steering gear for steaniships comprising a quadrant adaptec to be controlled by power gear, a hand steering gear, a rudder post. means whereby the quadrant is normally operatively connected to the rudder post and the hand steering gear disconnected the rudder post therefrom, means to lock the hand steering gear when disconnected, means to disconnect the quadrant from the rudder "post and operativeiy connect the hand steering gear thereto when the quadrant swings through an arc of predetermined length in either direction and means to lock the quad 'ant when so disconnected.

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures in the presence of two \vitnesses. JQHN T. SHAW. CHARLES ADQLPHUS WEYMUUTH. BEN HARRY PEARSON.

Witnesses: v

FRANK LEWIN, MARY BARRON. 

